Manuel Lanzini side-footed in his second goal of the season for West Ham

West Ham beat Crystal Palace to climb out of the relegation zone as Christian Benteke missed a penalty for the hosts.

Manuel Lanzini converted Aaron Cresswell's low cross to secure the Hammers' first win in six Premier League games in an uninspiring match at Selhurst Park.

Benteke missed two chances to level for Palace, floating a woeful spot-kick wide after he was fouled by Angelo Ogbonna and heading against the post moments later.

West Ham, who started the game in the bottom three but are now up to 15th, were reduced to 10 men for the last 15 minutes when Cresswell received two bookings within the space of 51 seconds.

Hammers keeper Adrian had to make a point-blank save from Connor Wickham's header in injury time, but Alan Pardew's eighth-placed Palace were generally lacking in attack as their five-game unbeaten run in the league came to an end.

Bilic breathes a sigh of relief

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Crystal Palace 0-1 West Ham: Slaven Bilic 'never stopped believing'

It was a timely result for West Ham boss Slaven Bilic, whose only other league win this season had come against Bournemouth in August.

After leading West Ham to a seventh-placed finish last season, Bilic had overseen the Hammers' worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1988-89 in the first seven games this term.

But this solid, if not exhilarating, win will ease fears of a relegation battle for a club that has moved into the London Stadium, which currently has a 57,000-capacity.

The Croat reshaped his side from the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough two weeks ago, playing with three centre-backs and bringing left wing-back Cresswell back into the team for the first time this season after a knee injury.

And it was Cresswell, who has been touted as a possible England international, who provided the tantalising ball from the left that Lanzini side-footed past Steve Mandanda for his eighth West Ham goal.

The Hammers almost finished the game off before Cresswell's dismissal, but Jason Puncheon was on hand to clear Michail Antonio's header off the line.

Manuel Lanzini not only scored his side's goal, but he also worked tirelessly for West Ham, covering 11.05km in the game - only Mark Noble covered more ground for both teams

Cresswell unlucky to go?

Instead, West Ham had to hold on to their lead with a one-man disadvantage after a harsh sending off for Cresswell.

His first booking, moments after the Antonio chance, was given for a dive in the area, although there looked to be some contact from Yohan Cabaye's challenge.

And less than a minute later he was shown another questionable yellow card for putting an arm across Wilfried Zaha when the pair were chasing a ball down the Palace right flank.

Palace, who had improved in the second half, immediately saw more of the ball and pinned back the visitors, but only produced the late chance for substitute Wickham.

Wasteful Benteke costs Eagles

Christian Benteke tried to clip his penalty into the top-right corner, but drifted the ball wide of the post

For Crystal Palace, it was a performance uncharacteristic of their season so far, having won four of their first seven league games and soaring into the top half of the table.

And even though they failed to register a shot on target until the 57th minute, the Eagles could have won the game had Benteke not been so wasteful.

The Belgian has three goals already this season and scored a hat-trick for his country against Gibraltar on Monday, but his wayward penalty, alongside a pair of headed chances - one that hit the post and another that went over from close range - could have salvaged something for Palace from an uninspiring display.

The result continues Palace's recent struggles against West Ham, having won just one of their past five top-flight meetings with their London rivals.

Man of the match - Manuel Lanzini

Goalscorer, plenty of running, finding space, lively in possession - Manuel Lanzini was the best player on the park

What they said - 'yellow card extremely harsh'

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic told BBC Sport: "We opened them up really well and created chances. We produced a really good performance.

"The second yellow card was an extremely, extremely harsh decision. Those two decisions were not correct. I don't like to moan. I'm the first to say it's very hard for referees... but those two decisions today... thank God it didn't affect the result.

"It was by far Simone Zaza's best performance today. He won more balls in the air than in the previous games. I hope we have turned the corner. We need to repeat this. We have to have this kind of approach. It's a cruel league but I never stop believing."

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Crystal Palace 0-1 West Ham: Pardew rues 'crucial' missed chances

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew told BBC Sport: "I was disappointed with a lot of aspects of the game.

"We didn't start well and they got a deserved lead. We had to make changes at half-time because weren't playing with the fluidity as we have done. We were better in the second half.

"We should have at least got a draw. With the penalty I was thinking with the week Benteke has had it'll go in.

"That would have been a lifeline and would have turned the game on its head. We would gave gone in 1-1 at half-time. This happens in the course of the season. Adrian made a good save at the end."

The stats you need to know

For the first time, West Ham have won three in a row away to Crystal Palace in the league

The Eagles have lost each of their past five Premier League London derbies at Selhurst Park

Six of Manuel Lanzini's eight Premier League goals have come away from home

Lanzini has scored in each of West Ham's last three top-flight clashes with Palace (three goals in total)

Since his debut in August 2014, Aaron Cresswell has provided nine assists in the Premier League, a haul only two other defenders can better (Janmaat 11, Baines 10)